Gaming machines which provide players awards for obtaining winning symbol combinations in plays of primary or base games are well known. Such gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a primary or base wager to activate the primary or base game. To fund such primary or base wagers, many of these gaming machines receive cash from a player, convert the received cash to a quantity of credits of a credit balance and enable the player to wager such credits on one or more plays of one or more primary or base games.
To fund such primary or base wagers, many of these gaming machines additionally or alternatively receive a ticket voucher (i.e., a bearer instrument redeemable for cash or game play on a gaming machine) from a player, establish a quantity of credits of a credit balance based on the received ticket voucher and enable a player to wager such credits on one or more plays of one or more primary or base games.
To fund such primary or base wagers, many of these gaming machines additionally or alternatively receive a promotional ticket (i.e., an instrument associated with a quantity of promotional credits redeemable for game play on a gaming machine, but not otherwise redeemable for cash) from a player, establish a quantity of promotional credits of a credit balance based on the received promotional ticket and enable a player to wager such promotional credits on one or more plays of one or more primary or base games. To fund such primary or base wagers, many of these gaming machines additionally or alternatively receive a quantity of promotional credits applied utilizing a player tracking card. For these gaming machines, after a player has redeemed a promotional ticket at a kiosk or player services desk, the quantity of promotional credits associated with the promotional ticket are transferred to the player's account and subsequently redeemed at the gaming machine upon the player accessing their player account. The redeemed quantity of promotional credits are then available for the player to utilize on one or more plays of one or more primary or base games. Such promotional tickets are typically mailed or otherwise provided to a player by a gaming establishment to reward the player with an amount of free play and/or to encourage the player to try out a new game.
In addition to receiving cash, ticket vouchers and/or promotional tickets to establish a credit balance to wager from, many known gaming machines utilizes ticket vouchers when a player wishes to leave the gaming machine and has credits remaining on the gaming machine. Specifically, such gaming machines convert the credits remaining on the credit balance of the gaming machine to a cash value which the gaming machine then outputs, via a printer, as a ticket voucher. The ticket voucher is associated with the cashed out value which is printed on the ticket. Data associated with the cashed out value and the ticket voucher, such as a ticket voucher identifier, are stored on one or more servers and verified when the ticket voucher is subsequently redeemed. Such subsequent redemption includes utilizing the printed ticket voucher to add credits to another gaming machine or redeeming the printed ticket voucher for its cash value, such as at a kiosk or a gaming establishment cashier.
While the utilization of such ticket vouchers decreases certain known problems previously associated with gaming machines that dispensed coins or cash, the utilization of ticket vouchers and/or promotional tickets is still associated with various incurred labor and material costs. For example, the utilization of ticket vouchers is associated with the labor costs of having to periodically remove a cash box including received ticket vouchers and cash from the gaming machine, replace the removed cash box with an empty one and refill the blank ticket voucher stacks housed by the gaming machine. The utilization of such ticket vouchers is further associated with the various labor costs of counting the cash and ticket vouchers removed from the gaming machine. Specifically, any removed cash is transported to a secure area where one or more individuals are involved in counting and recording the various sums of cash and/or ticket vouchers removed from each gaming machine. The cash amounts removed from each gaming machine are reconciled with other information sources, such as from hard meters on the gaming machine or records from a server that generates and validates ticket vouchers. The reconciliation process ensures the earnings from the gaming machine are properly taxed. Additionally, the utilization of promotional ticket is associated with the various costs of printing such promotional tickets, mailing such promotional tickets to players prior to such players visiting the gaming establishment and/or staffing a player service desk with personal to redeem such promotional tickets.
From a security standpoint, the utilization of such ticket vouchers typically requires that a technician and one or more security providers are involved in operations where cash is removed from a gaming machine. The security providers ensure that the cash is retrieved and transported without theft. Additionally, since removing cash requires the gaming machine cabinet to be opened, the security providers observe the operation to ensure that tampering does not occur with the gaming machine hardware.
Accordingly, in light of the costs associated with utilizing ticket vouchers at a gaming machine, gaming establishments are in a continuing need to provide gaming systems which reduce such costs without otherwise sacrificing the level of excitement and entertainment players associate with playing such gaming machines.